1939: Packers Dominate Giants to Win NFL Championship

The NFL Championship game on December 10, 1939 featured a rematch of the previous year’s participants. The Green Bay Packers, top team in the Western Division, hosted the Eastern Division’s New York Giants, who had beaten them to win the title in New York in ’38.

New York, coached by Steve Owen, was especially strong on defense, having given up just 85 points in compiling a 9-1-1 record. The offense featured the running of FB Tuffy Leemans which was supplemented by the passing of QB Ed Danowski. C/LB Mel Hein was outstanding on both sides of the ball and other top linemen included end Jim Poole and guards Johnny Dell Isola and Orville Tuttle.

The Packers, under the guidance of Head Coach Curly Lambeau, had gone 9-2. End Don Hutson was the league’s top receiver with 34 catches and 846 yards, and tailbacks Arnie Herber (pictured above) and Cecil Isbell were adept at getting the ball to him. Hutson benefited from being shifted to the defensive backfield rather than playing end on defense, thus reducing wear during games and making him an even more formidable weapon than he had been in his first four years.  

There were 32,279 fans in attendance at State Fair Park, referred to informally as the Dairy Bowl, located at the Wisconsin Fairgrounds in West Allis, near Milwaukee. There was a strong wind blowing from the north, gusting to 35 mph. In the first quarter, the Giants got a break when end Jim Poole blocked a punt by Clarke Hinkle to gain possession at the Green Bay 41. However, they were unable to advance in three plays and Ward Cuff’s 42-yard field goal attempt against the wind was both wide and low.

The Packers had to punt following their ensuing series and this time Hinkle’s wind-aided kick sailed 64 yards to the New York 16. The Giants had to punt in turn and Green Bay had good field position at the New York 46. The Packers moved the ball methodically on the ground to the 21 and tailback Arnie Herber threw to end Don Hutson for 15 yards to the six. Two plays later, and with the defense concentrating on Hutson, Herber passed to end Milt Gantenbein in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown. Paul “Tiny” Engebretsen added the extra point.

Heading into the second quarter, the visitors now had the wind at their backs. They tried to take advantage early in the period when Len Barnum tried for a 53-yard field goal, but it fell way short of the mark. The Giants again were in Green Bay territory on their next series but HB Andy Uram intercepted a pass at his own 27 to blunt the threat. Once again it was the Packers who couldn’t move the ball and New York had another shot, but Cuff’s 42-yard field goal attempt missed to the right.

The Giants came close to scoring in the last minute of the first half, but after reaching the New York nine on a pass from Ed Danowski to Tuffy Leemans that gained 37 yards, LB Charley Brock, who tackled Leemans from behind on the previous play to prevent a score, intercepted a pass to end the threat. The score remained unchanged at 7-0 at halftime.

New York still had the wind advantage in the third quarter, but had even less success. After the Giants were unable to move the ball on their first series and punted, HB Joe Laws (pictured at left) returned it 15 yards to the Green Bay 45 and the Packers drove to the New York 21 with Isbell, Hinkle, and Laws handling the bulk of the running. Engebretsen kicked a 29-yard field goal into the wind to make it a 10-0 game.

Shortly thereafter, Gantenbein intercepted a pass at the New York 37 and, three plays later, Isbell faked a run and then threw to Laws, who was wide open, for a 31-yard TD. Engebretsen again converted for a commanding Green Bay lead of 17-0.

The Packers piled it on in the fourth quarter. Following an interception by Brock that erased an opportunity for the Giants on another blocked punt, Green Bay again had the ball near midfield and Herber threw to end Harry Jacunski, who made an outstanding shoestring catch for a 31-yard gain. The drive faltered there, but Ernie Smith kicked a 42-yard field goal.

On the third play following the kickoff, LB Bud Svendsen intercepted a pass at the New York 30 and returned it 15 yards. It took just four plays for the Packers to reach the end zone as FB Ed Jankowski plunged in for a touchdown from a yard out and Smith capped the scoring with the extra point.  Green Bay won by a final score of 27-0.

The Packers led in total yards (232 to 164) and first downs (13 to 9). New York turned the ball over six times, all on interceptions, to three by Green Bay, and failed on all three of its field goal attempts while the Packers hit on two.

Arnie Herber completed 5 of 8 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, although giving up three interceptions, while Cecil Isbell was two of two for 37 yards and a TD and also ran for 27 yards on 13 carries. Andy Uram topped the Packers with 35 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Don Hutson, who was well-covered and used as a decoy for much of the contest, caught two passes as did back Larry Craig, for 21 and 9 yards, respectively. Joe Laws and Harry Jacunski each gained a team-leading 31 yards on their lone pass receptions, with Laws scoring a touchdown. Charley Brock (pictured below) accounted for two of the defense’s six interceptions and received praise for his overall performance.

For the Giants, Ed Danowski was successful on just four of 12 throws, three of which were intercepted. QB Eddie Miller was a bit better with three completions in six attempts for 40 yards and one picked off. Tuffy Leemans led the team’s rushers with 22 yards on 12 carries and also had a 37-yard pass reception. 

It was the fifth NFL Championship for the Packers, who finished second in the Western Division with a 6-4-1 record in 1940 and were blocked by the powerful Chicago Bears until winning their next title in 1944. New York also was 6-4-1 in placing third in the Eastern Division the next year but bounced back to reach the championship game in 1941, losing to the Bears.  

1943: Packers Score 2 TDs in Fourth Quarter to Beat Giants

The Green Bay Packers had a 3-1-1 record and were trying to maintain pace with the Bears in the NFL Western Division as they took on the Giants in New York on October 31, 1943. Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s team was missing a couple of key players in rookie tailback Irv Comp, who was out with a leg injury, and center Charley Brock, due to a recent bout with appendicitis. But other key players, notably tailback Tony Canadeo and end Don Hutson (pictured above), were present.

The Giants, coached by Steve Owen, were 2-1. Rookie FB Bill Paschal was a key addition to the club that already had a solid runner in wingback Ward Cuff. The aging but still able QB Tuffy Leemans and C/LB Mel Hein were also on a roster depleted by wartime. Moreover, the Packers had beaten the Giants only once since 1936, a total of six meetings with two of them having NFL titles on the line.

There were 46,208 fans in attendance at the Polo Grounds. On their second possession of the game, following an exchange of punts, the Packers started off at their own 27. Tony Canadeo threw to Don Hutson for six yards and then ran the ball himself for 12. Another throw to Hutson advanced the ball to the New York 41 and, following a short run by FB Tony Falkenstein, Hutson took the handoff on an end-around and caught the Giants by surprise as he threw an option pass down the middle to end Harry Jacunski for a 38-yard touchdown. Hutson added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Following the failure of the Packers to convert a fourth-and-one play on their next series, the Giants took possession at their 43. Tuffy Leemans ran for 14 yards and Ward Cuff for another 14. Cuff caught a pass from Leemans for 12 yards to the Green Bay 17 but the drive stalled at that point as a run was held to no gain and two passes were incomplete. On fourth down, Leemans dropped back and, evading several defenders, threw to Bill Paschal who was alone in the end zone for an 18-yard TD. Cuff’s conversion tied the score at 7-7.

On the last play of the opening period, HB Lou Brock returned the kickoff to the Green Bay 28. Canadeo (pictured at right) and HB Andy Uram had good runs to get the ball into New York territory and, after Brock ran for five yards, Canadeo connected with Hutson for 14 yards and Jacunski for 13. Uram finished the series off with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Canadeo, Hutson added the point after, and the visitors were ahead by 14-7.

Green Bay scored again on its next possession. A Canadeo pass to Hutson gained 19 yards to the New York 21 and, after the tailback ran for four yards, he threw to Hutson again for a 17-yard TD. Hutson added the PAT and the Packers took a 21-7 margin into halftime.

The Giants moved well on offense to start the third quarter, but a promising drive came up empty at the Green Bay 14 when the home team was forced to give the ball up on downs. The Packers had to punt and New York advanced 58 yards and did not come away empty handed. QB Emery Nix threw to Paschal for a gain to the Green Bay 18 and Paschal then carried the ball for another 12 yards. Two plays later, it was Paschal powering through the line for a four-yard touchdown. Cuff converted to make it a seven-point game at 21-14.

On their next series, the Giants again moved effectively, putting together a 65-yard drive. With first-and-goal at the six, however, the Packers held on defense for three plays and Paschal, catching a pass on fourth down, was tackled just a foot short of the goal line. The game now headed into the fourth quarter and the Packers had to punt again, Paschal returning it 17 yards to the Green Bay 28. Nix completed a pass to back Leland Shaffer to the 19 and Paschal ran for seven yards. It was Paschal (pictured below) again finishing off the drive with a dive into the end zone from a yard out. Cuff capped the home team’s comeback with the extra point that tied the score at 21-21.

The Packers reached the New York 36 on their next series but came up empty when Chet Adams was short on a 45-yard field goal attempt. On their next possession, Canadeo connected with Brock for a 40-yard gain but followed up with a pass that was intercepted.

The Giants were now stymied on offense and punted. This time the visitors didn’t fail to score, advancing 66 yards in three plays. Uram faded back and threw long to Jacunski, who caught the ball over his shoulder for a gain of 48 yards to the New York 15. Two plays later, Canadeo fired a pass to Hutson for a 12-yard TD. Hutson added the point after and Green Bay was back in front by 28-21 with four minutes remaining to play.

The Packers got the ball back two minutes later at the New York 40 following Paschal’s punt for the Giants. Canadeo ran for five yards and then broke away on a game-clinching 35-yard touchdown run. Hutson converted and Green Bay came away with a 35-21 win.

The Packers had a big lead in total yards (429 to 288) although the Giants had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). Green Bay both out-rushed (158 to 114) and out-passed (271 to 174) New York, but they also suffered the game’s only turnover.

Tony Canadeo rushed for 122 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown in addition to throwing for two TDs. Don Hutson caught 8 passes for 103 yards and two TDs, passed for a touchdown (the only one of his Hall of Fame career), and with his placekicking added in accounted for a total of 17 points. Harry Jacunski had 5 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Green Bay lost to the Bears the following week and, while they won their remaining games, it was enough to ensure that they would finish in second place in the Western Division with a 7-2-1 record. The Giants tied the Lions in their next game, were thoroughly overwhelmed by the Bears, but then won four straight to close out the schedule and salvage a tie for first place in the Eastern Division with Washington at 6-3-1. They lost the ensuing playoff with the Redskins.

Don Hutson caught 47 passes for 776 yards and 11 touchdowns, all NFL-leading totals. Already the NFL’s career scoring leader, he led the circuit with 117 points. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection along with Tony Canadeo, who passed for 875 yards and 9 TDs and rushed for 489 yards and three scores. Bill Paschal was the league’s rushing leader, by a yard over Phil/Pitt’s Jack Hinkle, with 572 yards. He scored a NFL-high 10 TDs on the ground and tied Hutson with 12 touchdowns overall.  

1941: Down by 17 at the Half, Packers Rally to Defeat Redskins

The Green Bay Packers were 9-1 and in a battle with the Chicago Bears in the NFL Western Division as they took on the Washington Redskins in their season finale on November 30, 1941. Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s team benefited from the passing of tailback Cecil Isbell and the pass receiving of superb end Don Hutson (Hutson, left, and Isbell pictured above). Isbell could run, too, and the stable of backs led by FB Clarke Hinkle was a good one.

Washington, coached by Ray Flaherty, had lost three straight games after starting the season at 5-1 and the Redskins were now 5-4 as they hosted the Packers. TB Sammy Baugh, who split time with Frank Filchock, was one of the NFL’s most productive passers and the team benefited from the addition of C/LB Ki Aldrich, who was obtained through a trade with the Cardinals.

It was a warm day at Griffith Stadium with 35,594 fans in attendance. The Redskins took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards. Tailback Frank Filchock completed passes for first downs to back Roy Zimmerman and end Joe Aguirre. The series was capped by Filchock running for a 10-yard touchdown on a fake reverse. Aguirre kicked the extra point.

Green Bay managed one first down in response as Cecil Isbell threw to end Don Hutson for 15 yards, but the Packers had to punt. Washington again moved the ball on offense, with FB Bob Seymour (pictured at left) the standout, advancing 50 yards before Bob Masterson kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Heading into the second quarter, the Redskins expanded their lead. Sammy Baugh entered the game for Washington and made a big play on defense as he intercepted an Isbell pass and returned it to near midfield. Following a nine-yard run by FB Andy Farkas, Baugh threw long for Seymour and it was complete for a 41-yard TD. A bad snap from center nearly thwarted the extra point attempt, but Baugh grabbed the ball and Ki Aldrich was able to make the kick. The home team was up by a 17-0 score.

The Packers got two first downs before Isbell was twice tossed for losses and then Aldrich intercepted a pass and returned it 41 yards to the Green Bay 41. The Packers got the ball back when Farkas fumbled, gave it back up on another interception, and regained it once more on a fumble by Seymour. TB Hal Van Every threw to HB Andy Uram for a 30-yard gain with less than a minute remaining in the first half, but after TB Tony Canadeo picked up a first down, the clock ran out with the score unchanged.

Green Bay had been unable to sustain drives in the first half, but the result was very different in the third quarter. First, LB George Svendsen recovered a Farkas fumble at the Green Bay 28 and Isbell proceeded to pass the Packers down the field. Reaching the Washington 15, he then ran seven yards for a first down and the series concluded with his throw to Hutson for a touchdown from eight yards out. Hutson’s try for the extra point missed, but the visitors were on the board.

The Redskins responded by once again moving the ball effectively, but Filchock’s pass from his own 45 was intercepted by Svendsen, who returned it 45 yards to the Washington three. FB Clarke Hinkle hit the line twice without success before Isbell, facing third-and-goal, again connected with Hutson for a three-yard TD. This time Hutson successfully converted and the Packers were down by just 17-13 heading into the final period.

Following a short possession by the Redskins, Green Bay started the next series at its own 33. Isbell ran for five yards and then hit on short passes to Hutson and HB Herm Rohrig. He then went long for Hutson and the result was a 40-yard touchdown. Hutson again added the PAT and the visitors were up by 20-17.

On the ensuing kickoff, back Ray Hare fumbled at his three, recovered, and retreated into his end zone for a safety that increased the Green Bay lead to five points. Washington was unable to come back despite Baugh’s best efforts. In a series that started from the Washington 14, “Slingin’ Sammy” passed the team down the field with completions to end Al Krueger and McChesney. But after getting to the Green Bay 16, the Packers held and the Redskins turned the ball over on downs. Getting one last shot in the final minute, Baugh threw a desperation pass that Uram picked off to seal the 22-17 win for the Packers.

Green Bay led in total yards (388 to 331) while the Redskins had more first downs (18 to 14). Washington turned the ball over five times, to four suffered by the Packers, who gave up three interceptions in the first half, but none during the second half comeback. Don Hutson caught 9 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns, all on throws from Cecil Isbell.

The Packers ended up tied with the Bears on top of the Western Division with a 10-1 record. They had split with Chicago during the regular season, but it was the Bears handily coming out on top in the playoff for the division title. Washington ended up at 6-5, placing third in the Eastern Division.

Don Hutson led the NFL in pass receiving (58), pass receiving yards (738), and TD receptions (10), as well as touchdowns overall (12, tied with George McAfee of the Bears) and scoring (95 points, a new NFL record). He was recipient of the Joe F. Carr Trophy as league MVP. Cecil Isbell topped the circuit in pass attempts (206), completions (117), yards (1479), and TD passes (15), among other categories. Both were consensus first-team All-NFL selections.

1945: Hutson TD on Interception Caps Win for Packers Over College All-Stars

The 12^th College All-Star Game on August 30, 1945 featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of the previous year, against an All-Star team coached by Bernie Bierman of Minnesota. The Packers, appearing in the annual contest for the third time, were coached by Curly Lambeau and featured end Don Hutson (pictured above), the NFL’s top receiver and scorer, who would also prove his value as a defensive back.

Bernie Bierman was head coach of the All-Stars for the second time, having been coach when the collegians tied the Detroit Lions in 1936. The roster featured future pro stars such as halfbacks Charlie Trippi of Georgia (pictured below) and Tom Harmon of Michigan, tackles Bill Willis from Ohio State and Purdue’s Dick Barwegan, who had all appeared in prior All-Star Games due to the liberalized wartime eligibility rules that allowed underclassmen to play.

There were 92,753 fans in attendance at Soldier Field on a very hot night, most of them rooting for the collegians, but the All-Stars were rarely able to dent the Packers, and were hurt by turnovers when they did. Green Bay took the opening kickoff and, with tailback Irv Comp passing effectively, the Packers drove to the All-Star 12 yard line and Don Hutson kicked a 20-yard field goal.

A quick kick by Charlie Trippi pinned the pro champs back and gave the All-Stars good field position on the ensuing punt, but C/LB Charley Brock intercepted a pass on his eight yard line and returned it 25 yards.

The Packers reached the All-Star 20 on the first play of the second quarter thanks to a run by FB Don Perkins, but a pass into the end zone was intercepted by Washington State FB/DB Bob Kennedy. However, after crossing the goal line, he retreated back into the end zone and was tackled for a safety. Instead of giving the ball up on a turnover, Green Bay was ahead by an extended margin of 5-0.

Following a fumble by Texas Tech FB Walter Schlinkman that was recovered by tackle Buford “Baby” Ray, the Packers struck quickly on a 20-yard touchdown pass from tailback Tex McKay to HB Herman Rohrig. Hutson added the point after to lengthen Green Bay’s lead to 12-0.

The All-Stars responded by moving well on offense and scoring on a pass from Kennedy to St. Joseph end Nick Scollard that covered 63 yards, with the receiver evading one defender and going the last 20 yards unmolested. Tom Harmon kicked the extra point and the tally remained 12-7 at the half.

The All-Stars got a break in the third quarter when Comp fumbled when hit by Bill Willis and G Damon Tassos of Texas A & M recovered at the Green Bay 34. The All-Stars, however, once again came up empty.

The Packers passed their way to midfield but a long throw by HB Lou Brock was picked off by Trippi at the eight, and he returned it to the 34. Any momentum shift ended when Harmon, caught from behind by Hutson and end Clyde Goodnight after breaking away for a 46-yard gain, fumbled and Brock recovered for the defending champs. However, the All-Stars got the ball back on the last play of the period when Indiana tackle Ed Bell recovered a fumble by HB Joe Laws at the Green Bay 31.

It looked like trouble for the Packers until Hutson intercepted a pass by HB Perry Moss from Tulsa on his own 15 and returned it 85 yards for a game-breaking touchdown. For good measure, Hutson also kicked the extra point.

The All-Stars threatened once more when Trippi intercepted a pass, returning it to the Green Bay two before being knocked out of bounds, and out of the game, by Laws. After the collegians were flagged for being offside, Ohio State QB Les Horvath fumbled and end Harry Jacunski recovered for the Packers at the 17 to end the threat. The final score was 19-7 for the Packers.

The All-Stars had more yards through the air (162 to 95) while the Packers outgained the collegians on the ground (132 yards to 68). Green Bay had the edge in first downs (15 to 12). Don Hutson accounted for 11 points on a touchdown, field goal, and two extra points.

The win for Green Bay put the NFL ahead of the collegians in the series by seven to three, with two ties. The Packers went on to post a 6-4 record in the regular season, finishing third in the Western Division. Don Hutson, in his final year, led the NFL in pass receptions for the eighth time with 47 catches and scored 97 points, which ranked second in the league.

Charlie Trippi, the MVP for the All-Stars, went on to a nine-year career with the Chicago Cardinals that resulted in his being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He would go on to appear in one more College All-Star Game, this time as a member of the Cards in 1948.

1935: Bears Shut Out College All-Stars

The second edition of the College All-Star Game, played on August 29, 1935 for the benefit of Chicago charities, was the first (and only) in the series in which the team representing the professionals was not the defending NFL (or, later, Super Bowl) champion. The Chicago Bears, back for a second straight year after playing to a scoreless tie in the inaugural event, had gone undefeated in topping the Western Division in 1934 but lost the title game to the Giants.

The Bears, coached by George Halas, were hindered by injuries to FB Bronko Nagurski and HB Gene Ronzani , both of whom played only briefly, and were also without their regular quarterbacks, Carl Brumbaugh and Keith Molesworth.

The All-Stars, who were picked by the votes of over 737,000 fans, were coached by Alabama’s Frank Thomas and contained future Hall of Fame end Don Hutson out of Alabama, future Green Bay coach Phil Bengtson, a tackle from Minnesota, and future President of the United States Gerald Ford, a center who starred at Michigan.

There was a big crowd of 77,450 in attendance at Soldier Field for the Thursday night game with heavy rain falling throughout much of the contest. The Bears got on the board in the first quarter of what quickly turned into a defensive struggle. Carries of 18 and 12 yards by HB Beattie Feathers (pictured above) put the ball on the All-Star three yard line, but Chicago was unable to cross the goal line in the next three plays and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Jack Manders.

That was it until the final period. The collegians got a break at one point when Chicago drew a 15-yard penalty after reaching the All-Star two and came up empty, but by and large the teams punted often while maneuvering for field position.

In the fourth quarter, HB Bill Shepherd of Western Maryland, attempting to punt from his own end zone, dropped the ball as he fielded a bad snap and was smothered for a safety by the Bears. Still, the All-Stars nearly managed to pull the game out. They got their best field position of the game at the Chicago 42 thanks to a short punt. Following a one-yard run, Shepherd took off around end for 14 yards and then Don Hutson ran the ball on a reverse and reached the eight yard line. However, at that point the Bears held on defense and the All-Stars were forced to give up the ball on downs. Chicago came away the winner by a final score of 5-0.

The Bears had the advantage in total yards (166 to 127) and first downs (10 to 6). Each team punted 14 times and both had just two pass completions apiece due to the weather conditions, on nine attempts by the All-Stars and 11 by Chicago. The Bears were hurt by 112 yards in penalties.

Bill Shepherd and tackle Tony Blazine of Illinois Wesleyan had the most noteworthy performances for the All-Stars. Beattie Feathers, who had been a participant the previous year as a member of the All-Stars, played well for the Bears, with some effective line-drive punts as well as his running.

“It was that damned rain,” said Coach Thomas of the All-Stars, explaining his squad’s defeat. “It turned what started out to be a great wide-open game into a battle where the style was cramped.”

The Bears went 6-4-2 during the regular season, which, with all of the Western Division teams finishing with winning records, placed them third behind the Lions and Packers. They would go on to play in a total of seven College All-Star Games, compiling a record of 5-1-1.

Bill Shepherd started off the 1935 season with the Boston Redskins, but was traded to Detroit and was a component of the Lions’ outstanding ground attack on the way to winning the NFL Championship. He received second-team All-NFL honors from UPI and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Shepherd stayed with the Lions for five more years and continued to be a key player in the backfield.

1940: Isbell-to-Hutson is Highlight as Packers Win Pro All-Star Game

Predecessor to the Pro Bowl, the NFL’s all-star contest that came into being after the 1950 NFL season, was the Pro All-Star Game, which followed the 1938 thru ’42 seasons. Unlike the Pro Bowl, the Pro All-Star Game format matched the winner of the NFL Championship game against a squad of All-Stars representing the rest of the league. The second game was played on January 14, 1940 and featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of 1939, against an All-Star team coached by Steve Owen of the Giants.

The Packers, coached by Curly Lambeau, had gone 9-2 in winning the Western Division for the second straight year and handily defeated the Giants by a score of 27-0 in a Championship game rematch. Tailbacks Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell (pictured above) were fine passers and they had the league’s best receiver in end Don Hutson as primary target. Behind an outstanding line, FB Clarke Hinkle led the running attack.

Among the players in the starting lineup for the All-Stars were center Mel Hein and end Jim Poole of the Giants, HB Parker Hall (the league MVP) and FB Johnny Drake of the Rams, Brooklyn end Perry Schwartz and guard Bruiser Kinard, and tackle Joe Stydahar of the Bears.

The game, played in Los Angeles, had been postponed a week due to rain and there was a near-capacity crowd of 18,000 in attendance under sunny skies at Gilmore Stadium. The All-Stars had worked together for three weeks and lacked coordination, neither running nor passing the ball effectively. The Packers struck first in the opening quarter with Clarke Hinkle kicking a 45-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, Green Bay drove to the All-Star 11 and Ernie Smith booted an 18-yard field goal that made the score 6-0. The All-Stars threatened later in the period when Washington tailback Frank Filchock threw to end Bill Smith of the Cardinals for a 62-yard gain to the Green Bay 12, where he was knocked out of bounds by Cecil Isbell. The Packers held for three downs and a fourth down pass by Filchock was intercepted by LB Ed Jankowski to end the threat.

With the ball at their eight yard line and the clock down to 38 seconds in the first half, the Packers pulled off the most spectacular play of the game. The All-Stars were anticipating a punt, but Isbell instead faded back into his end zone and threw long for Don Hutson (pictured at left). The pass went over 60 yards in the air before being gathered in by the streaking Hutson, who went the distance for a 92-yard touchdown. Smith kicked the extra point and the NFL champs took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the All-Stars got moving on offense, under the direction of diminutive QB Davey O’Brien of the Eagles. First, O’Brien gave the All-Stars good field position as he returned a punt 28 yards to the Green Bay 17. Two runs by Johnny Drake gave the All-Stars a first down at the six, and two plays later O’Brien threw to end Joe Carter, an Eagles teammate, in the end zone for a touchdown. Ward Cuff of the Giants added the extra point and the All-Stars were back in the game at 13-7.

Later in the period, runs of 24 yards by Hinkle and 19 yards by HB Andy Uram helped the Packers to reach the All-Star 16. The drive stalled, but Smith added a seven-yard field goal to put Green Bay ahead by nine.

That was it for the scoring, although late in the contest the Packers reached the All-Star three yard line thanks to passes by Arnie Herber to Hutson and end Carl “Moose” Mulleneaux. On fourth down, and having lost a yard, Ernie Smith lined up for a field goal attempt, but with the crowd shouting for a touchdown, the Packers tried a pass instead that fell incomplete. It was of no consequence as Green Bay came away the winner by a final score of 16-7. The game ended with the ball near midfield after O’Brien fired a pass to Bill Smith for a 25-yard gain.

The Packers easily outgained the All-Stars (330 yards to 130) and had the edge in first downs (11 to 8). Each team gave up two interceptions apiece. Davey O’Brien (pictured at right), Johnny Drake, and Parker Hall were the best of the backs for the All-Stars.

The win for the Packers gave the NFL champs a second win over the All-Stars in as many games. It would reach four straight before the All-Stars would win the fifth, and final, contest of the series. 

1943: Hutson Scores 20 Points as Packers Defeat “Steagles”

The Green Bay Packers finished out their 1943 NFL season on December 5 in a game against a wartime combination of two clubs. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers merged to become the Phil-Pitt Combine, popularly referred to as the “Steagles” due to the World War II manpower shortage plus reduced revenues. Earle “Greasy” Neale of the Eagles and Pittsburgh’s Walt Kiesling acted as co-coaches, and their styles and personalities clashed. Neither team had a history of winning, but the Steagles were in contention in the Eastern Division coming into the final week with a 5-3-1 record. HB Jack Hinkle was in the running for the league rushing title and two rookies, tackle Al Wistert and guard Bucko Kilroy, proved to be good acquisitions.

Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s Packers had a better record than Phil-Pitt, at 6-2-1, but they had already been eliminated by the Bears in the race for the Western Division crown. Star end Don Hutson (pictured above) was having a typically great season and had indicated that this would be his last game (a pronouncement that would prove to be premature). Tailbacks Tony Canadeo and Irv Comp were capable players, replacing the departed Cecil Isbell. Moreover, neither the Eagles nor the Steelers had ever beaten Green Bay (both franchises came into the league in 1933).

There were 34,294 fans in attendance at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park. They saw the Packers score just five plays into the game. The Steagles had first possession and, after a one-yard carry by HB Johnny Butler, Jack Hinkle fumbled and LB Pete Tinsley recovered for Green Bay at the Phil-Pitt 31. Following an incomplete pass on first down, Tony Canadeo took advantage of a big hole and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Hutson added the extra point and the visitors were in front at just 1:41 into play.

After Hinkle returned the ensuing kickoff to the Phil-Pitt 21, the Steagles scored in four plays. QB Roy Zimmerman threw to Butler for a 37-yard gain and Hinkle ran 38 yards on a sweep for a TD. Zimmerman converted to tie the score.

The Steagles got the ball back when DB Ben Kish intercepted a poorly thrown pass by HB Lou Brock at the Green Bay 41 and returned it five yards. The Packers stifled Phil-Pitt on defense, however, and Zimmerman’s 30-yard field goal try was blocked.

Phil-Pitt advanced to the Green Bay 27 on its next series, but a Zimmerman pass was picked off by Irv Comp, who returned it 41 yards to the Steagles’ 39. Canadeo threw to end Harry Jacunski to get to the 14. HB Bob Thurbon knocked away a throw toward Hutson in the end zone and, following a short run by Canadeo, the Packers were facing third down. Brock got the ball on the next play and ran wide to his left on an apparent sweep, but then turned and threw to Canadeo, who was all alone in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Hutson again converted and the visitors were back in front by 14-7 with less than two minutes to play in the opening period.

The first quarter scoring wasn’t quite over, however. HB Ernie Steele returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the Phil-Pitt 32. Zimmerman passed to Thurbon, who made a leaping catch at his 48 for a 16-yard gain. Following a run by Steele for four yards, Zimmerman went long for end Tony Bova, who outraced Hutson and HB Joe Laws down the middle of the field, gathered the ball in at the Green Bay 15, and reached the end zone for a sensational 48-yard TD. The play, capped by Zimmerman’s extra point, ended the eventful first quarter with the teams tied at 14-14.

Early in the second quarter, Canadeo threw a pass that was almost immediately deflected and grabbed by end Tom Miller to give the Steagles the ball at the Green Bay 14. Jacunski blew through the line and dumped Thurbon for an eleven-yard loss and Phil-Pitt came up empty a few plays later when Zimmerman’s 31-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The Packers got a big play when FB Tony Falkenstein took off on a 59-yard carry to the Phil-Pitt 15. The Steagles held from there on defense and Hutson kicked a 25-yard field goal. The score remained 17-14 at the half.

The Packers struck again early in the third quarter when Laws intercepted a Zimmerman pass and returned it to the Phil-Pitt 41. They scored in seven plays with Comp running for the last four yards around end for a TD. Hutson again successfully converted and the visitors led by ten points.

It looked even worse for the Steagles when Hutson intercepted a long throw by Steele and returned it 45 yards to the Phil-Pitt 10 yard line. But the Packers came up empty when, electing to go for the touchdown on fourth down, Comp was instead pulled down for a nine-yard loss and the Steagles regained possession.

Just before the end of the period, Jacunski intercepted a Zimmerman pass at the Phil-Pitt 19. Two plays gained seven yards and then Hutson caught a pass from Comp for a 12-yard touchdown. Hutson added the extra point to make it 31-14 for the visitors.

The Steagles weren’t quite finished, however. After Thurbon returned the kickoff to his 40, Phil-Pitt went 60 yards in six plays, helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty. QB Allie Sherman threw to Bova for a 13-yard touchdown and Zimmerman added the PAT. Green Bay’s lead was cut to 31-21.

On their next series, the Steagles tallied again as they drove 62 yards. Bova made another outstanding catch, again on a long throw by Zimmerman for a 46-yard gain to the Green Bay four. Hinkle failed to penetrate the line while trying to go up the middle on the next play, but Steele followed up with a carry around end for the needed yardage and a TD. Zimmerman added the extra point and it was suddenly a three-point game with half a period to play.

The crowd was excited, and that excitement increased when the Packers went three-and-out on the next series. However, Hinkle fumbled the ball away at the Phil-Pitt 38. Comp went right to the air, connecting with Falkenstein for 14 yards.  On third down, Comp threw again, this time to Hutson in the end zone for a 23-yard game-clinching touchdown. He converted and the Packers won by a final score of 38-28.

Phil-Pitt had the edge in total yards (318 to 278) and first downs (10 to 8). However, the Steagles hurt themselves by turning the ball over eight times, to two suffered by the Packers.

Don Hutson, with two touchdowns, a field goal, and five extra points, scored a total of 20 points. Tony Bova had a big day catching the ball with three receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Jack Hinkle (pictured at left) rushed for 59 yards in 12 carries in his bid for the league rushing title, although he also had the two critical fumbles.

Green Bay ended up with a 7-2-1 record to place second to the Bears in the Western Division. The defeat knocked Phil-Pitt out of the Eastern Division race as they finished at 5-4-1 and in third place, a game behind the Redskins and Giants, who tied for the division title (Washington won the resulting playoff).

Don Hutson led the NFL in pass receiving for the sixth time with 47 catches, and likewise in receiving yards with 776. He also topped the league with 11 TD receptions and 12 touchdowns overall (tied with Bill Paschal of the Giants) and was the leading scorer with 117 points. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the sixth consecutive year – and would come back to be so honored twice more before retiring for real in 1945 as the league’s pass receiving and scoring career leader.

Jack Hinkle rushed for 571 yards on 116 carries for a 4.9-yard average, missing out on the NFL rushing title by one yard to Paschal. It was later found that a statistician’s error had apparently deprived him of 37 yards, but the erro remained uncorrected. Tony Bova didn’t catch a lot of passes, although his total of 17 led the Steagles, but he gained 419 yards to average 24.6 yards-per-reception and scored five touchdowns. 

MVP Profile: Don Hutson, 1942

End/Defensive Back, Green Bay Packers

Age:  29

8^th season in pro football & with Packers

College: Alabama

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 185

Prelude:

Coming out of college, where he had been an All-American at Alabama, there were questions as to whether Hutson was suited to the pro game. He quickly allayed such concerns as a rookie in 1935, catching 18 passes for 420 yards (23.3 avg.) and 6 TDs (he led the league with a total of 7). The numbers improved dramatically as he became the top receiver in the NFL, leading the league in receptions (34), yards (536), and TDs (8) in 1936 and receptions (41) and TDs (7) in ’37. Fast and innovative in the maneuvers he utilized and routes he ran, Hutson became the first deep threat and caused defenses to utilize new strategies, such as double- and triple-teaming, to contain him. He led the NFL in receiving yards (548) as well as TDs (9) in 1938 and in receptions (34), yards (849), and yards per catch (24.9) in ’39. While he didn’t lead the league in receptions in 1940, he still had a then-career high with 45, and in 1941 he was first awarded the Joe F. Carr trophy as league MVP after tying the NFL record for catches (58) and also leading in yards (738), scoring (95 points), and touchdowns (12, tied with George McAfee of the Bears).

1942 Season Summary

Appeared in all 11 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 74 [1] 

Most receptions, game – 14 (for 134 yds.) at NY Giants 11/22

Yards – 1211 [1]

Most yards, game - 209 (on 13 catches) vs. Cleveland 10/18

Average gain – 16.4 [9]

TDs – 17 [1]

200-yard receiving games – 2

100-yard receiving games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 4

Average gain – 1.3

TDs – 0

Kicking

Field goals – 1 [9, tied with five others]

Field goal attempts – 4 [10, tied with Augie Lio]

Percentage – .250

PATs – 33 [1]

PAT attempts – 34 [1]

Longest field goal – 20 yards vs. Pittsburgh 12/6

Interceptions

Interceptions – 7 [2]

Return yards – 71 [8]

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1286 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 17 [1]

FG – 1

PATs – 33

Points – 138 [1]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy

1^st team All-NFL: League, AP, INS, NY Daily News

NFL All-Star Game

Packers went 8-2-1 to finish second in the NFL Western Division while leading the league in passing yards (2407) on offense and interceptions (33, tied with the Bears) on defense.

Aftermath:

Taking advantage of diluted competition during World War II, he continued to be the NFL’s dominant pass receiver. He retired following the 1945 season as the career leader in receptions (488), receiving yards (7991), TD receptions (99), and overall TDs (105). Many of those records lasted for decades – the one for TD receptions lasted until 1989. Used as a defensive back (rather than end) on defense, he intercepted 30 passes in his last six seasons (individual interceptions were first compiled in 1940). As a placekicker, he compiled 7 field goals and 172 extra points and his overall point total was 823, which also was the NFL career record at the time. Hutson was a consensus first-team All-Pro on eight occasions. The Packers retired his #14 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1963.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

1945: Rams Explode in 4th Quarter to Beat Packers

The NFL contest in Green Bay on October 14, 1945 was a faceoff between two Western Division teams that had started off the season at 2-0. The Green Bay Packers were the defending NFL Champions and still a potent squad, especially after their all-time great end Don Hutson had been persuaded to put off retirement and come back for another year. Coached by Curly Lambeau, the franchise’s founder, the Packers were a team that was used to contending.

As for the visiting Cleveland Rams, they had never been above .500 in any season since joining the NFL in 1937. But they had a new head coach in Adam Walsh, who installed a T-formation offense, and a talented rookie quarterback out of UCLA to run it in Bob Waterfield (pictured above). The Rams had an outstanding receiver of their own in end Jim Benton, who was ably complemented by Steve Pritko, plus a good group of running backs.

There were 24,607 fans in attendance at Green Bay’s City Stadium on a bright and clear day. The Rams scored on their first possession, driving 49 yards and finishing with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Waterfield to Benton. While Waterfield’s first extra point attempt was successful, it was nullified by a holding penalty and the second try was no good when it sailed wide. Still, Cleveland was ahead by 6-0.

That remained the situation until the third quarter when Rams HB Tom Colella fumbled and Green Bay tackle Paul Lipscomb recovered at the Cleveland 25. FB Ted Fritsch ran three times to get to the one and tailback Irv Comp went the last yard for a TD. Hutson kicked the extra point to put the Packers ahead by 7-6.

In the fourth quarter, the Packers went 54 yards, with the highlight a pass from tailback Roy McKay to Hutson for 24 yards. Fritsch plowed through the middle for a three-yard touchdown and Hutson added the point after.

Down by 14-6 in the final period, the Rams had possession at their own 27 and put together a seven-play scoring drive. Waterfield capped it by passing to Colella for a nine-yard TD. Cleveland then received a big break when Green Bay’s McKay fumbled and tackle Roger Eason recovered for the Rams at the Packers’ 17. FB Don Greenwood, Colella, and Waterfield each took a turn running the ball to get to the one yard line and Greenwood scored from there.

McKay and Comp took turns trying to connect on passes to Don Hutson until DB Albie Reisz intercepted one and returned it to the Green Bay 5. Colella ran the ball in from there for a touchdown that sealed the win for the Rams. Thanks to the three fourth quarter TDs, and Waterfield’s successful conversions after each, Cleveland came away the winner by a final score of 27-14.

The Rams led in total yards (289 to 232) but Green Bay had the edge in first downs (16 to 12). However, Cleveland ran the ball more effectively (154 yards on 45 carries to 81 yards on 39 attempts) and the Packers turned the ball over six times, as opposed to four turnovers by the Rams.

As usual, Don Hutson was Green Bay’s chief offensive weapon, catching 7 passes for 110 yards, but he was unable to penetrate the end zone (he had done so four times in one quarter the previous week against Detroit). Jim Benton caught 5 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown for the Rams.

The win moved the Rams into first place in the Western Division and that’s where they stayed, going 9-1 and beating Washington for the NFL title. Green Bay dropped to third with a 6-4 record.

Bob Waterfield overcame a severe rib injury to achieve league MVP honors while passing for 1609 yards and leading the league in yards per attempt (9.4) and touchdown passes (14, tied with Sid Luckman of the Bears).

Jim Benton (pictured below) and Don Hutson were the NFL’s most productive receivers. In his final season, Hutson led the league for the eighth time (fifth consecutive) with 47 pass receptions while his 834 yards ranked second to Benton’s 1067. Benton placed second to Hutson with 45 catches.

The 1945 season marked a change in direction for the two franchises. Green Bay went into a decline that wasn’t reversed until the arrival of Vince Lombardi as head coach and general manager in 1959. The Rams, who moved to Los Angeles in 1946, won four division or conference titles over the course of the next decade and a league championship while regularly being among the NFL’s contending teams.

MVP Profile: Don Hutson, 1941

End/Defensive Back, Green Bay Packers

Age:  28

7^th season in pro football & with Packers

College: Alabama

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185

Prelude:

Coming out of college, where he had been an All-American at Alabama, there were questions as to whether Hutson was suited to the pro game. He quickly allayed such concerns as a rookie in 1935, catching 18 passes for 420 yards (23.3 avg.) and 6 TDs (he led the league with a total of 7). The numbers improved dramatically as he became the top receiver in the NFL, leading the league in receptions (34), yards (536), and TDs (8) in 1936 and receptions (41) and TDs (7) in ’37. Fast and innovative in the maneuvers he utilized and routes he ran, Hutson became the first deep threat and caused defenses to utilize new strategies, such as double- and triple-teaming, to contain him. He led the NFL in receiving yards (548) as well as TDs (9) in 1938 and in receptions (34), yards (849), and yards per catch (24.9) in ’39. While he didn’t lead the league in receptions in 1940, he still had a then-career high with 45.

1941 Season Summary

Appeared in all 11 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 58 [1]  

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 135 yds.) at Washington 11/30

Yards – 738 [1]

Most yards, game - 135 (on 9 catches) at Washington 11/30

Average gain – 12.7 [6]

TDs – 10 [1]

100-yard receiving games - 2

Rushing

Attempts – 4

Yards – 22

Average gain – 5.5

TDs – 2

Kicking

Field goals – 1 [12, tied with twelve others]

Field goal attempts – 1

Percentage – 100.00

PATs – 20 [1, tied with Bob Snyder]

PAT attempts – 24 [1, tied with Bob Snyder]

Longest field goal – 13 yards at Cle. Rams 10/19

Interceptions

Interceptions – 1

Return yards – 32

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1   

Yards – 8

Average per return – 8.0

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 12 [1]

FG – 1

PATs – 20

Points – 95 [1]

Postseason: 1 G (Western Division playoff at Chicago Bears)

Pass receptions – 1

Pass receiving yards - 19

Average yards per reception – 19.0

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Field goals - 0

Field goal attempts – 0

PATs – 2

PAT attempts – 2

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy

1^st team All-NFL: League, AP, UPI, Chicago Herald American, Collyers, NY Daily News

NFL All-Star Game

Packers went 10-1 to tie for first place in the Western Division. Lost Division playoff to Chicago Bears (33-14).

Aftermath:

Having tied the league record for pass receptions in 1941, Hutson set a new standard in 1942 – another MVP season – with 74 while also setting records with 1211 yards and 17 TDs in just 11 games. Taking advantage of diluted competition during World War II, he continued to be the NFL’s dominant pass receiver. He retired following the 1945 season as the career leader in receptions (488), receiving yards (7991), TD receptions (99), and overall TDs (105). Many of those records lasted for decades – the one for TD receptions lasted until 1989. Used as a defensive back (rather than end) on defense, he intercepted 30 passes in his last six seasons (individual interceptions were first compiled in 1940). As a placekicker, he compiled 7 field goals and 172 extra points and his overall point total was 823, which also was the NFL career record at the time. Hutson was a consensus first-team All-Pro on eight occasions. The Packers retired his #14 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1963.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/9/14]

1944: Packers Beat Giants for NFL Title on Two Fritsch TDs

By 1944, the manpower shortage in the NFL was acute due to World War II. It was apparent in the rosters of the teams that met for the NFL Championship on December 17 at the Polo Grounds in New York. The host Giants had former Packers star tailback Arnie Herber, who had come out of retirement at age 34, as well as one of their own past stars, 38-year-old fullback Ken Strong, back after a five-year absence to primarily handle the placekicking.

New York, under 14th-year Head Coach Steve Owen, went 8-1-1 to narrowly place first in the Eastern Division over the 7-1-2 Eagles. In addition to Herber’s passing, the Giants had FB Bill Paschal, who led the league in rushing (737 yards), carries (196), and touchdowns (9). They also featured wingback Ward Cuff, who ran for 425 yards and tied Philadelphia’s Steve Van Buren for the best average gain per carry at 5.6. 14-year center Mel Hein and All-Pro G Len Younce anchored the line.

Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s Green Bay Packers were a mix of young and old, but their key player remained end Don Hutson, the NFL leader in pass receptions (58), receiving yards (866), scoring (85 points) and, tied with Paschal, touchdowns (9). Second-year tailback Irv Comp led the league in passing yards (1159) and was second in TD passes (12, tied with Detroit’s Frank Sinkwich). The Packers won their first six games on the way to winning the Western Division with an 8-2 record, although one of the losses had been to the Giants a month before.

The Giants were at a disadvantage coming into the title game because Paschal had injured his ankle in the season’s last game, but they did have star tackle Al Blozis available, who had missed most of the year after going into the military but had been granted a pass to be able to play in the championship contest.

There were 46,016 fans present for what promised to be a tough defensive battle. The first quarter was scoreless, but early in the second period the Packers returned a punt to the New York 48 and followed that with two big runs, of 20 yards by HB Joe Laws and 27 yards by FB Ted Fritsch (pictured at top) that put them in a first-and-goal situation at the one. The Giants held on the next three plays, but finally Fritsch plowed into the end zone and, with Hutson’s successful extra point, Green Bay held a 7-0 advantage.

New York’s defense concentrated on disrupting Green Bay’s passing game and, more specifically, Hutson. Late in the second quarter, the great end finally got open and gathered in a Comp pass for a 24-yard gain to the Giants’ 30. Three plays later, with time running out, Hutson ran a crossing pattern that caused the defense to shift along with him. He was successfully being used as a decoy – Comp threw to Fritsch, who had looped out of the backfield and was all alone at the five yard line, easily able to complete the 28-yard touchdown play. Again Hutson added the extra point, and Green Bay led by a 14-0 margin at the half.

The Giants hadn’t been able to move beyond their 35 yard line during the first half, but late in the third quarter they put together a drive featuring a 41-yard pass from Herber to end Frank Liebel that took them into scoring position. Cuff, playing in the tailback position rather than his usual wingback spot, ran for a one-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter and, with Strong’s PAT, the Green Bay margin was cut to seven points.

The Giants were unable to score again, however, as the Packers played conservatively on offense and, thanks to interceptions and good punts, kept New York from getting close. Late in the game the Giants threatened one last time, but a Herber pass was intercepted by back Paul Duhart at the Green Bay 20 to clinch the 14-7 win for the Packers.


Green Bay outgained the Giants, 237 yards to 199, and in particular outrushed them with 163 yards to 85 for New York. Joe Laws was the leading ground gainer with 74 yards on 13 carries while Ted Fritsch ran for 58 yards on 17 attempts, including a TD and also had the other Packer touchdown on his lone pass reception. Irv Comp (pictured at left) completed just three of 10 passes for 73 yards with the TD and three interceptions. Don Hutson caught two of those passes for 47 yards and, while he didn’t score any touchdowns, played a key role as a decoy.

For New York, Arnie Herber, with inadequate run support and a defense geared to shut down the aerial game, was able to complete just 8 of 22 passes for 117 yards. He had no TDs and was intercepted four times (Laws accounted for three of the pickoffs). Ward Cuff ran for 55 yards on 12 attempts, including a touchdown, and caught two passes for another 25 yards. Bill Paschal, forced to sit out most of the contest, ran the ball only twice, for three yards. Frank Liebel caught three passes for 71 yards.

The championship was the last for the Packers under their founder, Lambeau – after winning six titles (three prior to the advent of division play and the championship game in 1933), Green Bay would not win another until 1961.

The game was also the last for the 6’6”, 250-pound Al Blozis (pictured below). A consensus All-Pro in 1943, he rejoined his infantry unit after the title game. Six weeks later, he was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge. His number 32 was retired by the Giants.

1945: Packers Score 41 Points in 2nd Quarter Against Lions

The Green Bay Packers, defending NFL champions, won their first game of the 1945 season against the arch-rival Chicago Bears and now faced the Detroit Lions on October 7 at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. Still under the direction of founding Head Coach Curly Lambeau, Green Bay had coaxed the great end Don Hutson (pictured at right), who had wanted to retire, into coming back for another year.

The Lions, under third-year Head Coach Gus Dorais, had won six straight games, dating back to the ’44 season. An 0-11 doormat as recently as 1942, the Lions had improved under Dorais and gone 6-3-1. They had lost star tailback Frank Sinkwich to military duty (and afterward would lose him to the rival AAFC), thus diminishing the passing attack, but the Lions had compensated by beefing up the running game.

There was a capacity crowd of 23,500 in attendance for the key division matchup. They witnessed a scoreless first quarter. However, late in the period, a short punt by tailback Roy McKay gave the Lions the ball on the Green Bay 29. Tailback Chuck Fenenbock threw a pass to end Jack Matheson that covered 16 yards and followed up with a seven-yard run. Fenenbock started off the second quarter by running the remaining eight yards for a touchdown and 7-0 Lions lead.

For the remainder of the quarter, it was all Green Bay. Following the kickoff, McKay immediately hit Hutson on a 56-yard touchdown pass play. The Packers followed up with a 41-yard TD pass play from tailback Irv Comp to reserve end Clyde Goodnight.

It was McKay-to-Hutson again for a 46-yard touchdown completion and 21-7 Green Bay lead. Shortly thereafter, an interception by back Ben Starret set up another Hutson touchdown, this on a 17-yard pass from McKay. However, Hutson’s extra point attempt (he also typically handled the team’s placekicking) was blocked by the Lions.

Still, the onslaught continued as FB/LB Ted Fritsch intercepted a pass by Detroit tailback Cotton Price and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. Before the half, Hutson scored his fourth touchdown of the second quarter on a six-yard pass from McKay. Green Bay led at the intermission by a score of 41-7, made all the more remarkable because all 41 points had been scored in one quarter.

Hutson accounted for a total of 29 of those points with five extra points in addition to the four touchdowns.

The second half was anticlimactic. The Packers got a safety in the third quarter when Goodnight tackled halfback Dave Ryan in the end zone on a punt return. However, Ryan connected with end John Greene on a 62-yard touchdown pass play late in the fourth quarter. The final score was 57-21.

Remarkably, the Lions had 15 first downs to Green Bay’s 7 and outgained the Packers on the ground, 137 yards to 53. They even had a slight edge in passing yards, 244 to 242. However, Detroit also turned the ball over six times, to just once for the Packers. And, of course, Green Bay’s second quarter bombardment easily determined the outcome. The 41 points remain the record for a single team in one NFL quarter.

The offensive stars for the Packers were Hutson, with six catches for 144 yards and four touchdowns, and Roy McKay, who completed 6 of 14 passes for 151 yards with the four TDs and none intercepted. Hutson also added two more extra points to give him a single-game point total of 31.

The strong start did not translate into season-long success for the Packers, who were swept by the eventual-champion Cleveland Rams in both of their meetings and ended up at 6-4 and in third place in the Western Division. The Lions, who beat the Packers when the clubs met again at the end of the year, came in second at 7-3.

In his final season, Don Hutson led the NFL in pass receptions (47) and was second in receiving yards (834), touchdown receptions (9), total touchdowns (10, tied with Frank Liebel of the Giants), and scoring (97 points). He retired as the all-time career leader in pass receptions (488 – the runner-up at the time had 298), receiving yards (7991), touchdown receptions (99 – which stood until 1989), total touchdowns (105), and scoring (823 points).

Roy McKay, typically splitting the tailback duties with Irv Comp, threw just one more touchdown pass the rest of the way (Comp threw 7) and had a total of 520 passing yards.

1936: Packers Defeat Redskins for NFL Title

The NFL Championship matchup on December 13, 1936 took place at the Polo Grounds in New York even though the Eastern Division had been won by the Boston Redskins. Owner George Preston Marshall, upset at the lack of fan support in the franchise’s home city, had the game moved to a neutral site. The weather was at least cooperative – it was sunny with temperatures in the mid-30s, and 29,545 fans showed up.

The Redskins, under first year Head Coach Ray Flaherty, won the division with a 7-5 record, just ahead of the 6-6 Pittsburgh Pirates. The passing game was ordinary, but not the rushing of star FB Cliff Battles (fourth in the NFL in rushing with 614 yards), plus FB Pug Rentner and tailback Eddie Britt behind a line anchored by tackle Turk Edwards. However, Marshall, the imperious owner, had alienated both fans and press in Boston, especially by raising ticket prices on game days without notice.

The Green Bay Packers were the heavily favored opponents, with an outstanding team that carried the tougher Western Division with a 10-1-1 record under Head Coach Curly Lambeau. Lambeau was the first NFL coach to significantly utilize the passing game, and the Packers had a very good one with tailback Arnie Herber (pictured above) throwing primarily to star second-year end Don Hutson (pictured at bottom). Herber led the league in passing for the third time in his career, and also led in attempts (177), completions (77), yards (1239), and TD passes (11). Hutson set new records in pass receptions (34) and receiving yards (526), and also led the NFL in TD catches (8). Green Bay could run the ball, too, with a backfield led by FB Clarke Hinkle (also an outstanding linebacker on defense).

The tone for the game was set on the tenth play from scrimmage, when Battles, who had gained 18 yards on two carries for the Redskins, was injured and lost for the remainder of the day. On the play, his lateral to blocking back Riley Smith was fumbled and recovered by T Lou Gordon of the Packers on the Green Bay 48 yard line. Three plays later, Herber found Hutson on a long pass that covered 48 yards for the first touchdown of the game.

The Redskins came back in the second quarter with a solid 78-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard TD plunge by Rentner. However, Smith’s extra point attempt was wide, and the score at halftime was 7-6 in favor of the Packers.

Green Bay took the second half kickoff and went 74 yards in six plays. A pass from Herber to veteran HB Johnny McNally (aka Johnny Blood) covered 52 yards and set up an 8-yard scoring pass from Herber to end Milt Gantenbein that extended the Packers lead to 14-6.

Things continued to get worse for Boston as their only healthy center, Frank Bausch, was ejected for fighting. Then, in the fourth quarter, Green Bay effectively put the game out of reach when guard Lon Evans blocked a punt by the unfortunate Riley Smith. The play started at the Redskins 22, and once Hinkle recovered the ball, Green Bay was on the three yard line. Bob Monnett, spelling Herber at tailback, ran two yards for the TD. The final score was 21-6 in favor of the Packers.

Green Bay accumulated 220 total yards (to 130 for Boston) with 153 by passing. Herber accounted for 140 yards through the air as he completed 6 of 15 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. Don Hutson led all receivers with 5 catches for 76 yards and a TD. Clarke Hinkle rushed for 56 yards on 19 attempts.

With Cliff Battles sidelined early, FB Don Irwin led the Redskins in rushing with 37 yards on 13 carries. Rentner was Boston’s top passer with 4 completions in 6 attempts for 60 yards. End Wayne Millner caught two passes, the only Redskin to do so.

George Preston Marshall moved his franchise to Washington for 1937; he also signed a passing tailback from TCU, Sammy Baugh, who would elevate the aerial attack and take the team to the next level. But on this day, it was Curly Lambeau’s Packers at the top of the NFL heap.